This 1969 western gives an early take on a dysfunctional family, and almost works on its incredible action scenes alone. Parson Josiah Galt (Jack Palance) is the father and leader of a bunch of Confederate guerillas modeled after Quantrill's Raiders. He and his sons and men invade towns, stealing money, assaulting women, and burning the town to the ground. In one Kansas town, eldest son David (Vince Edwards) decides the killing needs to stop. David kills one of his own men by accident during the raid. He is arrested and sentenced to death in a family-run court. With family like this, who needs in-laws? David escapes after kicking little brother Jacob's (George Maharis) butt, and goes to Texas, changing his name and living the good life with a wife (Sylvia Syms) and son (Benjamin Edney). In Texas, only Marshal Kilpatrick (Neville Brand) knows David's secret. Soon, Josiah's gang sets their sights on Texas, specifically David's new town.
Levin's direction is very good, and his action scenes are great. The scenes aboard the flaming runaway train are very exciting. David Whitaker's musical score is perfect, with bombastic stuff during the action, pumping the adrenaline and setting the perfect mood. The main problem is the two leads. Vince Edwards as Palance's son? Palance is only nine years older than Edwards, and they look the same age. Jack Palance is awful here, playing the part way over-the-top and constantly stepping into unintentionally hilarious melodramatics. Edwards is the opposite, holding the same constipated look on his face throughout the film, showing as little emotion as he possibly can. Despite some good stunts, the fact that these two are in almost every scene brings down any technical achievements. Even the normally reliable Neville Brand seems at a loss, too. "The Desperados" is gritty and violent, but Levin's inability to get control of his actors weighs down the action. I cannot recommend this film.
Levin's direction is very good, and his action scenes are great. The scenes aboard the flaming runaway train are very exciting. David Whitaker's musical score is perfect, with bombastic stuff during the action, pumping the adrenaline and setting the perfect mood. The main problem is the two leads. Vince Edwards as Palance's son? Palance is only nine years older than Edwards, and they look the same age. Jack Palance is awful here, playing the part way over-the-top and constantly stepping into unintentionally hilarious melodramatics. Edwards is the opposite, holding the same constipated look on his face throughout the film, showing as little emotion as he possibly can. Despite some good stunts, the fact that these two are in almost every scene brings down any technical achievements. Even the normally reliable Neville Brand seems at a loss, too. "The Desperados" is gritty and violent, but Levin's inability to get control of his actors weighs down the action. I cannot recommend this film.